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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: object · roll · pitch · rule · cue · rest · swing · saw

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. cue — a hint
  3. rest — a break
  4. rule — a law
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. saw — the tool
  7. rule — government
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a signal
  12. saw — the tool
  13. roll — a list
  14. swing — to play on
  15. rest — what's left
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. object — a thing
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. object — to protest
  20. rest — what's left
  21. object — an aim
  22. swing — music
  23. swing — in golf
  24. roll — a cake

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com